This invention relates generally to the feeding of cable or wire to processing means, such as a cutter or insulation stripper; and more particularly concerns apparatus for feeding the cable or wire from a de-reeling means to a wire or cable feed mechanism which operates intermittently.
In apparatus, as referred to, there is a problem of converting supply wire de-reeling travel from a first velocity or velocities upon de-reeling from a supply reel, to an intermittent feed velocity as the wire is fed to processing means. The latter operates intermittently, for example, due to the fact that the wire travel must be stopped while the wire is cut or stripped (of insulation). For example, lower pulley excursion, up and down, with its associated mass, tended toward instability, and excessive vibration of the system. See for example reference to speed fluctuations and oscillations in U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,564. There is need for accurately and reliably driving the wire intermittently, as referred to, for such purposes.
There is also need for an improved wire drive means to be incorporated in such apparatus, and characterized as positively gripping and driving the wire endwise, while the wire is compressively gripped lengthwise thereof.